


Of Basketball and Parents

by CWrites88



Category: Love Simon (2018), Love Victor (TV 2020), Simonverse | Creekwood Series - Becky Albertalli
Genre: Armando is a mess, Armando is really trying, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:02:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24823528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CWrites88/pseuds/CWrites88
Summary: Benji and Armando get to spend some time together while cheering for Víctor during one of his basketball matches, what could possibly go wrong?
Relationships: Victor Salazar/Benji Campbell
Comments: 19
Kudos: 371





	Of Basketball and Parents

It’s been eight months since he broke up with Derek or as Benji preferred to think about it, it’s been eight amazing months since Víctor kissed him under the moonlight. And he still couldn’t believe he had finally found someone who made him feel like he was enough, someone who didn’t made him feel ashamed of being a hopeless romantic, someone who would encourage him to follow his heart, someone who loved him. Benji simply couldn’t imagine his life without Víctor, he was the piece that was missing in the puzzle of his heart, one could even say that Víctor made him feel like he missed him even before he came into his life. 

Initially, their relationship advanced at a slow rate, mainly due to Víctor adjusting to his life as an out and proud teen, but Benji didn’t mind, because Víctor and his pretty smile made every second of the last months worth it. After a few months, he had managed to develop a decent relationship with Victor’s mother due to their shared passion for music; for their six month anniversary, Isabel even helped Benji with the vocals for Victor’s favorite song at the moment, which was ¿Con quién se queda el perro? from Jesse & Joy. And Víctor’s siblings loved him, Pilar thought his style was edgy and Adrian was happy that his big brother was happy. 

A few weeks ago, Benji got to meet Víctor’s self-proclaimed adoptive parents, Bram Greenfeld and Simon Spier. And he might have lost his shit for a moment, but who could blame him, Simon and Bram were legends at Creekwood, their story was a huge inspiration for Benji when he was still in the closet. Bram was super chill and easy to talk to, but Simon wasn’t so easy to win over, if Benji didn’t knew it was literally impossible, he would have sweared that Simon was Victor’s biological father, he even gave him the talk.

“Babe, are you sure you’re okay with spending some time with my father?” Víctor asked timidly, while caressing Benji’s hand with his thumb. “I could tell him that the game got cancelled or something.”

“Vic, everything will be fine. Your father being in this match is important to you, so it’s important to me.“ Benji planted a gentle kiss in Víctor’s lips “And he’s already in the stands with a huge poster that was probably made by your mother, so there’s no escaping this.” 

“Shit, you’re right. I just don’t want him to hurt you, you know he’s a little complicated.” Benji would dare say that the word complicated fell short to describe Armando, he wasn’t a bad guy and he loved Víctor no matter what, but whenever they were in the same room together it would either be super awkward or he would say something homophobic without realizing. 

“Don’t worry, handsome.” Benji said while giving Víctor one last good luck kiss before he had to walk to the court, he knew that some people were looking at them with disgust, but they didn’t care, they loved each other. “Maybe, I’ll finally get him to fall for my natural charms.” 

“And maybe I’ll finally learn how to fly.”

“Asshole” Benji pushed at Víctor’s shoulder softly. In response, Víctor let out a gentle laugh as he observed Benji like he was the most precious thing in the universe. “Now go get them, show them that you’re not just a pretty face.” 

While he walked to where Armando and Pilar were standing, he noticed that Mia was starring at him, so he smiled and waved at her, she returned the gesture but she looked a little uncomfortable. He thought for a moment about going to her and apologizing once again about the way things turned out, it wasn’t fair that she had to found out the truth that way, but he knew that an apology would never be enough to correct the pain that he and Víctor put her through. Mia didn’t knew if she could ever forgive Víctor, but still she tried to be supportive of him, Mia stood up to every single bully that dared to make a homophobic joke about them. Benji felt he had a debt with Mia that he would never be able to pay.

“Edgy boy, stop starring at my brother’s ass and hurry up.” Pilar loved teasing Benji, at first she had a hard time accepting him because Víctor cheated on Mia with him, but with time, she discovered that teasing him was funnier than giving him the cold shoulder. 

“Oh hush, Pil.” Benji rolled his eyes and once he reached Víctor’s family, he gave Pilar a kiss in the cheek, fully knowing that she hated it when he did that. She responded by giving him a light punch in the shoulder.

Meanwhile, Armando Salazar looked at them with confusion, he wasn’t used to Benji’s interactions with his family. Sure, he was happy that his son was happy, but it felt odd seeing Benji in the place he always pictured for a girl. It was still hard for him coming to terms with the fact that he will not be able to walk his son to a church’s altar or that he will never have biological grandchildren from him, but he could get through it. This was the life that Víctor wanted, and he wanted to be a part of it, he loved his son more than anything in the world, he was his pride and joy. And if Isabel, who was more religious than him, could get behind Benji’s presence, he could learn to be okay with him.

“Hello, Mr. Salazar, it’s nice to see you again”. Benji smiled at him and offered his hand, which Armando shook immediately.

“Please, call me Armando, all of Víctor’s friends do.” Armando noticed that Benji winced at his words. “Not saying that you’re just Víctor’s friend, you’re his... his boy... boyfriend”

“Don’t worry, Armando.” Benji said with an easygoing smile. “I know it takes time to adjust to knowing that the life you had envisioned for your son will be completely different, it sure took time for my father, he didn’t looked me in the eyes for almost an entire year.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Benji’s statement made Armando wonder what type of dad he wanted to be, he wanted Víctor to know he loved and supported him, but that didn’t made seeing him kiss Benji any easier. 

“So, you like boys.” Armando said after a few seconds of awkward silence.

“Very much, especially your son, he’s the best thing to ever happen to me, he makes me feel like I can be myself and that’s enough.” Benji’s words made Armando smile, it reminded him of his relationship with Isabel when they were in High School, he never met a girl like her, someone who made him feel real.

“That’s how Isabel used to make me feel when we were in High School.” Benji visibly relaxed, now that Armando thought of it, it seemed like he was holding his breath and he finally was able to exhale. “If you don’t mind me asking, who’s the boy and who’s the girl in the relationship?”

“Dad” Pilar grunted at Armando as a warning. 

Benji breathed deeply, he knew that Armando was really trying and probably didn’t know how wrong his question was. He also remembered that Isabel used to say similar things before she began her weekly sessions with Emily Spier.

“We’re both boys, Mr. Salazar, that’s kind of the point of being gay.” 

“I wasn’t implying that you weren’t, I just wanted to know if my son was still a macho.” Armando mentally slapped himself, he was really trying to pick a conversation with Benji, but he kept messing it up. “That came out wrong, I just wanted to know if my boy was treating you properly, treating you to dinner and whatever you guys do nowadays.”

“Actually, we take turns on who plans the dates, who pays, and all of that.” At first, Víctor had insisted in paying for every date, but Benji wasn’t having it, they were both equals in the relationship and it wasn’t fair for Víctor to pay for everything, especially considering that his salary was higher than Víctor’s because he was assistant manager at the Coffee Shop. “But rest assured that your boy is a gentleman, for our first date he gave me the most ugly yet delicious meatballs.”

“Oh, I really don’t want to know what you boys do behind closed doors.” Benji blushed at the realization of what Armando understood by meatballs. 

“No, no, I’m talking about literal meatballs, he cooked them for me using his grandmother’s recipe.” 

Víctor must really be in love with the boy if he cooked him Grandma’s meatballs, as they weren’t as easy to make as the conventional meatballs, but that’s exactly what made them worth it. 

“Thank God”

“Can you stop talking?” Pilar whispered as she was holding a poster that said Víctor is a Sala-Star. “The game begun 10 minutes ago.”

“Shit, you’re right.”

The rest of the game went smoothly, Benji and Armando cheered the loudest whenever Víctor scored, they even hugged when the match ended and Víctor’s team won. And when Víctor finally approached them and kissed Benji, Armando looked at them happily, this time there was no disgust in his eyes, he was happy to see his son in love with such a great guy. Benji and Armando really got to know each other during the match, and quickly realized that they had so much in common, from their favorite bands to their favorite movies. 

“Could you stop kissing each other?” A woman in her thirties said. “It’s disgusting and I don’t want my son to see you, I don’t want him to get confused. God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.”

Víctor was clearly pissed by her comments, Benji was caressing his back, trying to calm him down.

“My son isn’t confused, he’s in love.” Armando said without thinking. “He can kiss his boyfriend whenever he wants, and if you have problem with that, it’s your problem, not theirs.”

The woman simply grabbed his son and stumped out of the auditorium. It was in that moment that it finally hit him why his son had been so scared to come out to his family, he used to be like that woman, he hurt his son so much. 

“I’m so sorry, Víctor.” Armando hugged his son, like he hadn’t done in the last few months.

“Why? You stepped up for me.” A single tear escaped his right eye, he felt so happy, not only did he won the match, he finally felt like his father accepted him for who he was and his relationship with Benji.

“Because I used to be like that woman, I hurt you so much without realizing.” Armando gave Víctor a kiss in the forehead. “Te amo, hijo. Te prometo que me voy a esforzar por ser un mejor papá.”

“Yo también te amo, pa.”

“You know, why don’t boys come to my place next Friday?” Armando asked with a smile as he let go of Víctor and looked directly at Benji. “I’ll make you dinner, not my mother’s meatballs but something as delicious, my famous arepas.”

“I would love to.” Benji said with a smile as he held Víctor’s hand, Víctor intertwined their fingers without a second thought. 

“Thanks, dad.”

“Anytime.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Pilar said while crossing her arms.

“Would you like to come to dinner as well, mi cielo?” Armando gave her a kiss on the cheek, she faked to be disgusted even though it was clear she wasn’t bothered by it. 

“No”

“I’ll see you there, then.” Everyone laughed and Pilar rolled her eyes, but she still hugged her dad in their way out.

Benji observed his boyfriend as they left the auditorium, Víctor was beaming with happiness and seeing him like that made his heart beat faster than usual. There was no doubt, he was in love.


End file.
